AOA Certified Australian Table Olive Compliance

Updated: 13/02/2020

Table Olive Producer Signatory to the OliveCare® Code of Best Practice have product testing obligations (annual) – which may be satisfied through provision of product testing results from a NATA accredited laboratory, or through participation in the AOA National Table Olive Competition (or other complying competitions).

AOA requires Signatories to provide as a minimum, evidence of testing for the following parameters in accordance with “The Voluntary Industry Standard for Table Olives in Australia (RIRDC 2012 – Amended January 2020)”: https://australianolives.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/RIRDC-12-111-Australian-Table-Olive-Standard-Kailis-Final.pdf

  • Ref Section 3, Table 2: Physico-chemical characteristics of packing brine or juice after osmotic balance.
  • Ref Section 9 Microbiological criteria for table olives offered for retail sale to the public.

 Note: All testing must be undertaken by a NATA accredited laboratory.

 Table Olives – natural (unpasteurised):

  • Minimum sodium chloride (NaCl): 6% (aw <0.975)
  • Maximum pH: 4.3
  • Microbiological Criteria – Escherichia coli: Not detectable (<3 cfu/g)
  • Microbiological Criteria – Clostridium perfringens: Not detectable (<10 cfu/g)

Table Olives – treated with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) (unpasteurised):

  • Minimum sodium chloride (NaCl): 5% (aw <0.97)
  • Maximum pH: 4.0
  • Microbiological Criteria – Escherichia coli: Not detectable (<3 cfu/g)
  • Microbiological Criteria – Clostridium perfringens: Not detectable (<10 cfu/g)

Table Olives – Dehydrated / Shrivelled (unpasteurised):

  • Water activityaw <0.94 (10% NaCl)
  • Microbiological Criteria – Escherichia coli: Not detectable (<3 cfu/g)
  • Microbiological Criteria – Clostridium perfringens: Not detectable (<10 cfu/g)

 Table Olives (Pasteurised):

  • Maximum pH: 4.3
  • Microbiological Criteria – Escherichia coli: Not detectable (<3 cfu/g)
  • Microbiological Criteria – Lactobacillus: < 10 cfu/g
  • Microbiological Criteria – Clostridium perfringens: Not detectable (<10 cfu/g)

Only product meeting the above specifications may carry the “Certified Australian Table Olives” CTM logo.

The above testing requirements also applies to the AOA Australian International Olive Awards – Table Olive Competition.

Other state and regional table olive competitions will also be encouraged to adopt the above standards.

Further information on Table Olive Testing can be downloaded here.